The situation of the monkey smallpox virus is a “public health emergency of international concern.” On 23 July, WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus offered a press conference to report on the situation. He stresses that the disease is spreading rapidly throughout the world.

The emergency situation imposed by the WHO is the second in two years and points out that the risk of the virus worldwide is medium, except in Europe, where the risk is high. According to the WHO, “if an emergency is not established and the disease is not dealt with quickly, it risks making the same mistakes as in the battle against Covid-19.”

Contaminated

Ghebreyesus announced at a press conference that most infected people are men who have sex with men. It has therefore stressed the need for countries to provide this group of persons with effective information and services and to take measures to protect their health, dignity and human rights. “Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus,” says the WHO director and calls on institutions, including those with experience with people with AIDS, to work with them to combat this stigma and discrimination.

"It’s therefore essential that all countries work closely with communities of men who have sex with men, to design & deliver effective information & services and to adopt measures that protect both the health, human rights & dignity of fected communities. "-@DrTedros #monkeypox

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) July 23, 2022